Frustrated Chinese travellers in Singapore show limits of border reopenings as Covid-19 rages on

China recently implemented a new rule requiring travellers from at least 80 countries to obtain a negative Covid-19 test five days before departure

The change caused confusion in Singapore, while in Japan, a Chinese national was turned away as her PCR test was not done via a nasal swab

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Long queues are seen at a regional screening centre in Singapore where would-be travellers can undergo coronavirus testing. Photo: Handout

Published: 10:30pm, 26 Aug 2020Updated: 12:52pm, 27 Aug 2020

When he finally got a day off on Wednesday and had time to visit the Chinese embassy in central Singapore from his home in Kovan, on the northeastern side of the island, Chinese national Chen Ming only wanted to know one thing: how could he get tested for the coronavirus?

He told This Week in Asia that he had tickets to fly to Guangzhou on September 6 with low-cost carrier Scoot, but had yet to receive any information about where he could get tested for Covid-19 – a new requirement for travellers bound for China from the city state that is set to go into effect from Friday.

After two years in Singapore’s food and beverage industry, Chen – not his real name – said he was ready to return to his home country, but the new negative test result prerequisite for travelling was making him anxious.

Singapore, with more than 56,000 cases though the bulk of patients have recovered, generally offers tests only to those showing symptoms. Late on Wednesday, it announced it would make tests available between Friday and next Monday to travellers to China, to align with the new requirements.

Chen is not alone. As countries around the region ease open their borders in a bid to revive the ailing aviation industry, many would-be travellers have been left feeling confused and angry by what sometimes seem like daily rule changes by governments seeking to prevent imported infections that could trigger mass local outbreaks and force fresh lockdowns.

A health worker administers a Covid-19 nasal swab test. One source of confusion has been the type of swab test that different governments require. Photo: Reuters